Leeds United employee: Patrick Bamford likely to be out another month after ‘worrying’ news
Noel Whelan has claimed Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford could be sidelined for another month.
The former Whites hitman, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, claimed the 28-year-old is “irreplaceable” in Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
Bielsa, speaking in his pre-Aston Villa press conference and quoted by Leeds Live (7 February), set no return date for Bamford – revealing that the England international is yet to return to jogging.
When asked if he was concerned by the striker’s recovery, the Argentine said: “He hasn’t played for 15 games now – how can I not worry?”
Whelan suggested Leeds United’s other forwards must continue to “step up” in the talisman’s absence.
“I don’t think this will be a short-term injury,” he told Football Insider‘s Ewan Kingsbury.
“We’ve desperately missed him, we don’t have another striker like him. He’s irreplaceable.
“It’s always a big worry when your natural centre-forward is out injured, you start to wonder where the goals are going to come from.
“It doesn’t seem like we’re going to see him in the next four weeks. Some of our attackers are going to have to step up and deputise, as they have been doing for the most part of this season now.
“You just can’t put your finger on how or why we’ve suffered all these injuries this season.
“It’d be a massive bonus to get him back but I just can’t see that happening now in the next month.”
Leeds United sit seven points clear of relegation danger despite missing Bamford for most of this term.
The striker, who scored 18 Premier League goals last term, has played just six of the Whites’ 21 league games this season.
In other news, “Brilliant” Leeds youngster tipped by pundit to start against Aston Villa.